In response to allegations made MP Paula Yacoubian, Karpowership denies such untruthful claims, and confirms that they are completely false.
MP Paula Yacoubian had stated in a press conference today that: “The investigations must include the operators of the Powerships, as it is said that they are filtering the fraudulent fuel in order to use it in the Powerships.”
First, the company is surprised how could a Member of Parliament make such a statement and launch an allegations campaign based on what “is said”, without making sure that the information is accurate, in an attempt to mislead the public opinion and spread claims aiming at tarnishing the company’s reputation.
Second, based on the contract signed with Electricité du Liban, Karpowership is not responsible for the fuel which falls in line with EDL’s contractual obligations, requiring it to provide the fuel dedicated for the operation of the Powerships.
Third, Karpowership, owner and operator of the Powerships, wonders how could anyone think that a company would allow itself to manipulate non-conforming fuel, knowing that it can negatively affect the power plants that it owns, and lead to millions of dollars’ worth of damages.
It is worth noting that in 2013, tests conducted in international laboratories revealed that the first shipment of fuel provided to the Powership Fatmagül Sultan was non-conforming, which led to major technical problems resulting in a decrease in the Powership’s production capacity. Karpowership cooperated then with the Ministry of Energy and Water and EDL to find the appropriate solution as soon as possible, to ensure that the terms of the contract are implemented by all parties. In turn, EDL provided the Powership with the appropriate fuel quality, to ensure that its electricity production goes back to normal and Parties continued to implement stringent third party test procedures.
Fourth, Karpowership is keen to stress that it is operating its Powerships in Zouk and Jiyeh in compliance with the highest environmental and safety standards set by the World Bank and the ISO 14001 and applied worldwide. Therefore, it is impossible for the company to filter non-conforming fuel or use any type of fuel before certifying its quality by sending samples to international laboratories to be tested.
Fifth, Karpowership confirms that it rejected a fuel shipment in the end of March 2020 because it was not conforming with the specifications, and it officially informed EDL and refrained from using the shipment.
Sixth, Karpowership is keen to remind that it is impossible to use fuel oil shipments without filtering them through a specific filtering programme (Separators) used obligatorily in all power plants in the world, and not only in the Powerships.
In view of the above, Karpowership urges all media and public figures in Lebanon to communicate with its official representatives in Beirut prior to relaying any news concerning its activities. The company also perfectly respects the Lebanese laws and regulations, and all of its activities are in strict compliance with them. Karpowership stands at the disposal of Lebanese courts and maintains its right to initiate legal actions if needed to stop any defamatory or misleading information touching its reputation.
